Locking device for umbrellas, &amp;c.



L. WILLIAMS.

LOOKING DEVICE FOR UMBRELLAS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1911.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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A m eras Parana uric.

LOUIS WILLIAMS, OE DENVER, COLORADO.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR UMBRELLAS, 8w.

To all whom-2'75 may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented =certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Umbrellas, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in looking hooks, intended to secure simplicity in construction and reliability in operation. Devices of this character, when made with a large number of parts are apt to get out oforder in some one or more ol their parts, causing considerable trouble if an article is locked to the device and it is desirable to secure its prompt release. In order to be commercially successful a device of this nature must be inexpensive, reliable in :its operation at all times and secure against manipulation by unauthorized persons.

In the invention set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the drawings, the arrangement is such that strength, durability and reliability are secured with a minimum numberof parts.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of "my improved locking devices, showing the hooks closed against an umbrella handle, the key being removed; Figure l is a side view of a key for unlocking the deviee;-Fig. 2 a rear elevation of the locking device showing the 'key locked and the hook slide released; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the slide in locked position and the key removed, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates a: rectangular casing, preferably made'o'f steel 1 and provided with angular openings 1 in its front wall through which bolts 2, of' common form, having angular portions near their heads, may be past to secure thei casing to its support,-the bolts being held in :place by nuts applied thereto at the back of the support. This arrangement prevents the bolts from turning in the openings and prevents the removalofthe casing from the front. The slide 3 extends through suitable guide openings in the ends of the casing and carries a hook 4: which pro ects through a slot 5 in the front wall of the casing. P Secured to the front of the casing,

atone end thereof and at opposite sides of the hook m are cooperating hooks-6 and 7. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1913.

Application filed November 28, 1911. Serial No. 662, 868.

The several hooks are alike in construction, each being composed ofa sheet metal strip h, folded upon itself and'a rubber gripping piece 71. arranged between the folds of the metal, and suitably secured by rivets 8, as shown in Fig. at. When in position upon its support, the device is arranged with the slide extending horizontally, as shown in the several figures of the drawing, and in the upper wall 9 of the casing is arranged a key sheath 10 whichextends at right angles to the slide, through said wall and into proximity to the slide. "One or more stops 11, in the way of pins, project into the key sheath and the key 13 is provided with slots 12 which straddle the stops and permit the key to be inserted to its full extent in the key sheath. The stops are differently arranged in diiierent locking hook devices and the keys are correspondingly slotted so that where a number of locking hooks are in use, each key will fit only one of the devices. Each casing is appropriately numbered, and the key for the casing bears a corresponding number. In this instance the casing and key bear the number 50. Each key also has a shoulder or stop 13 on one edge adapted to be engaged by the overturned end 14* of an arm let on a locking member G. This locking 1116I11- ber is mounted upon a pivot 15, secured to the front wall of the casing, and comprises three integral arms, namely, the arm 1a for engaging the shoulder on the key, an arm 16 having an overturned end 16 adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the key when the latter is in the {key sheath and an arm 17 having :two overturned portions 17 and 17* which serve as detents to engage teeth 18 on one edge of the slide 3 when the slide is in its locked position as shown in Fig. .3. A spring 19 normally presses the detent arm 17 toward the slide and tends to move the arm 14: out of engagement with the key. A spring 1) attached to the slideand to one end of the casing normally holds theslide, with its hock 4. in the open position, a shoulder 41 on the hook, then engaging the end 5 of the slot, and forming a stop for the slide. The part 20 of the slide projects above the line of the teeth and the end 17" of said arm normally rests upon this raised portion and holds the arm 14 in engagement with the shoulder on the key when the slide 3 is in its released position as shown in Fig. 2. The de tent arm is provided with two offsets or detents 17 and 17 because, after long use, the ends of the teeth on the slide may become worn or broken and if a tooth on one portion of the slide is defective so that the detent engaging that tooth might not hold the slide, the other detent, engaging another tooth would hold it; also for the reason that as the ends of the slide project through the casing, if a single detent were used the slide might be released by a blow applied to one end of the slide, which would break off the detent or strip the teeth, whereas with a double detent the slide will be held with much greater security against attempts to release the hooks by force applied to the end of the slide.

Normally the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, with the hooks apart, and the key locked within its sheath. In order to lock an article, such as an umbrella,'to the device, the article is placed against the hooks 6 and 7 and the opposing hook 4: is then moved inward and pressed against the article. As the slide 3 moves with the hook 4, the detent arm 17 will move downward from the high part 20 of the slide onto the lower part and the detents will engage the teeth 18 and hold the slide and hook in their closed positions. As the several arms of the locking device C are integral with one another the arm 14 will move out of engagement with the shoulder 13 on the key whenever the detent arm rides oil of the high portion of the slide, the spring 19 causing the locking device to rock. Therefore, as soon as the hook 4 and slide 3 are moved to the closed position, the key B may be taken out of the sheath, and the umbrella or other article cannot be released until the key is replaced. When the key is replaced and pushed inward to its fullest extent, it will bear upon the overturned end 16 of the arm 16 and rock the detents out of engagement with the rack in the slide and also rock the arm 14E into the engagement with the shoulder 18 on the key. As the slide will then be moved instantly to its released position, the raised portion 20 of the slide will pass under the detent arm 17 and hold the locking device C in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the arm 14 in engagement with the shoulder 13 on the key. The umbrella or other article, of course, becomes released as soon as the slide and hook 4 are drawn back to normal position by the spring D.

vIt will be evident that the individual checking the article will have to return the key to its proper place in the key sheath before he can release the article; also that when the article is locked between the hooks and the key is removed, the article can not be released except by the person holding the proper key.

WhatI claim is 'z r r r 1; In a locking hook, the combination with a casing and a pair of hooks fixed to the front wall thereof at one end of the casing, said front wall having a longitudinal slot in a plane between the fixed hooks, of a hook slide extending through the end walls of the casing and a hook thereon projecting through said slot, said slide having rack teeth, a spring for moving the slide to separate the hooks, a key-sheath extending through a side wall of the casing, a key adapted to fit into said sheath, said key having a shoulder, a locking and tripping device pivoted within the casing, said latter device comprising a detent arm adapted to engage the rack, an arm adapted to engage the shoulder on the key and an arm projecting into the plane of the key at the inner end of the key sheath, and a spring nornliaclly pressing said detent arm against the s 1 e.

2. In a locking hook, the combination with a casing and a hook secured thereto,

01"? a slide extending through the end walls of the casing and having rack teeth, a hook onsaid slide, a spring for moving the slide to separate the hooks, a key-sheath extending through a side wall of the casing, a key adapted to fit-into said sheath, said key having a shoulder, a locking and tripping device pivoted within the casing, said latter device comprising a detent arm adapted to engage the rack, an arm adapted to engage the shoulder on the key, and an-arm projecting into the plane of the key at theinner end of the key sheath, and a spring nornlradlly pressing said detent arm against the s 1 e. V

3. In a locking hook, the combination with a casing and a hook secured thereto, of a slide extending through the end walls of the casing and having rack teeth, a hook on said slide, a springfor moving the slide to separate the hooks, a key-sheath extending through a side wall of the casing, a key adapted to fit into said sheath, said key having a shoulder, a locking and tripping device pivoted within the casing, said latter device comprising a detent arm having two teeth adapted to engage the rack, an arm adapted to engage the shoulder on the key and an arm projecting into the plane of the key at the inner end of the key-sheath, and

a spring normally pressing said detent arm against the slide.

4. In a hat and coat lock, the combination with a casing having a stationary hook,of

a bar. slidably supported inthe casing and having an exteriorly located cooperating hook, means within the casing for securing the said bar to hold its'hook in the locking position with reference to the stationary hook, a key-sheath, a key adapted to enter the sheath, means within the casing andactuated by the key to release the locking bar, said key having a stop thereon, a key looking device normally spring held in position to unlock the key and bearing on one end a projection adapted to engage the stop on the key, the opposite end of said device being arranged in the path of the sliding bar as the latter moves to the unlocked position, and a cam surface on said sliding bar adapted to engage the said device to throw 10 said projection into engagement with the stop on the key, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

LOUIS WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

P. H. KNoWLToN, GEO. V. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

